Kc Concepcion, Rome Odunze Headline The Most-targeted Pass-catchers Still Without A Td

Every week at this time I do some data hunting to try to find some interesting fantasy angles. Let's pop open the spreadsheets and see what's interesting as we get ready for Week 9.

Diontae Johnson Award update

The Diontae Johnson Award is a silly little thing I coined back in 2022, when Johnson somehow collected 147 targets for the Steelers but didn't score a touchdown. The drought was especially surprising because he scored 15 times in the two previous seasons. Normally we chase the opportunity in fantasy football, and we expect the scores to come one way or another. But there are always usage trends and play-calling patterns to consider, too.

So who's at the top of the DJA leaderboard through eight weeks? We're looking at the pass-catchers (receivers and tight ends) with the most targets without any touchdowns.

• KC Concepcion — 49 targets

• Rome Odunze — 45 targets

• Dalton Schultz — 43 targets

• Kendrick Bourne — 39 targets

• Chris Godwin — 36 targets

Concepcion, Denzel Boston and Harold Fannin Jr. all have similar target and efficiency stats in Cleveland, but the focus is on Boston from in close; Boston has eight red-zone targets (and three overall touchdowns) while Fannin has four inside-the-20 targets (and three overall touchdowns). Concepcion is stuck on three red-zone targets and no scores yet.

I'd like to bet on talent, so let's stick with Concepcion. Alas, it would be nice if the Browns had more talent in their QB room.

Talent isn't a problem in Chicago, where Caleb Williams is a star and Ben Johnson runs a smart offense. But note how the team handles its red-zone targets: Luther Burden 11 (eight catches), Colston Loveland 10 (six catches), Kalif Raymond 5 (five catches) and Rome Odunze 5 (one catch). Sure, there have been missed connections, with Odunze dropping at least one goal-line chance. But he hasn't been the first read here, either.

I don't have much to say on Schultz, and Bourne is sadly done for the year after fracturing his tibia. But what the heck is going on with the Buccaneers? Forget passing touchdowns, they've thrown for just 64 yards the last two games — including zero yards in the rain last week against Atlanta.

Although the Buccaneers are now the favorites to win the NFC South, I'd be worried about all of their passing components. Obviously the last two games are screaming outliers, but this team is good at a few specific things — playing defense (first in DVOA), run-blocking and power running. There's no reason why the Bucs can't rely on 1970s football — and surging Bucky Irving and Kenneth Gainwell — as they look to wear down opponents.

And even when the Bucs do look downfield, what does Godwin have left in his ninth season? His 6.9 yards per target is a career low and he's averaging just 30.4 yards per game. Maybe we can leave the light on for Emeka Egbuka when he heals up, but the train might be gone for Godwin.

Notable RBs without a receiving TD

I don't include running backs in the Diontae Johnson fun, but I suppose it is interesting to note the four backs who have the most targets without a touchdown catch:

• Christian McCaffrey — 42 targets

• Chase Brown — 42 targets

• Jonathan Taylor — 31 targets

• D'Andre Swift — 29 targets

It doesn't feel as life and death when running backs aren't turning their targets into touchdowns. We just like to see them find ancillary ways to score fantasy points, and ways to stay relevant to game script even when their teams are in hurry-up mode and/or playing from behind.

McCaffrey's had plenty of years where he ran hot with receiving touchdowns — he had seven such scores in both 2023 and 2025. But it is interesting to note that his yards per catch has dropped to 7.4 this year, and his yards per target (6.0) is the lowest it's been since his rookie year.

With Brown, we're just hoping the Cincinnati carnival doesn't leave without him as it continues the barnstorming tour. But unless the Bengals make a trade for a back (Taylor could make sense here), Brown is probably fine. Samaje Perine and Tahj Brooks are not major threats to his playing time.

Taylor is actually averaging a career-best 25.3 receiving yards per game, so his managers can't be unhappy here. He should be fine moving forward, be it with a new and contending team, or still on the Colts but aiming at a friendly schedule in the second half.

Swift leads the NFL in rushing touchdowns — he did his Jerome Bettis short-yardage imitation Monday at Seattle — so his managers are smiling. It will be interesting to see how the Bears handle the backfield workload when Kyle Monangai is healthy. When the fantasy season is complete, you'll be happy you drafted some Bears proactively.